Behavioral Health Trainer & Technical Assistance Specialist - San Diego, California
San Diego, CAFull-time$74k–$89.3kPosted Jul 8, 2026
*This is a remote position; however, the employee must reside in the San Diego, California, area. The role requires less than 15% travel, including both local and domestic travel, based on project and business needs.
At Altarum, we’re driven by a simple but powerful mission: improving the health of individuals with fewer financial resources and populations underserved by the healthcare system. We partner with federal and state agencies to design and deliver solutions that make a real, measurable difference.
We’re looking for a Trainer & Technical Assistance Specialist who is passionate about strengthening behavioral health systems, supporting community-based organizations, and helping providers build the skills and confidence needed to deliver effective, culturally responsive care.
*This is a remote position; however, the employee must reside in the San Diego, California, area. The role requires less than 15% travel, including both local and domestic travel, based on project and business needs.
At Altarum, we’re driven by a simple but powerful mission: improving the health of individuals with fewer financial resources and populations underserved by the healthcare system. We partner with federal and state agencies to design and deliver solutions that make a real, measurable difference.
We’re looking for a Trainer & Technical Assistance Specialist who is passionate about strengthening behavioral health systems, supporting community-based organizations, and helping providers build the skills and confidence needed to deliver effective, culturally responsive care.
About the Role
- Enjoy training and coaching behavioral health providers
- Have experience with SUD, co-occurring mental illness, and EBPs
- Build strong relationships with community partners
- Care about culturally responsive care and community impact
As a Trainer & Technical Assistance Specialist, you’ll develop and deliver trainings on evidence-based practices for SUD, co-occurring mental illness, and integrated behavioral health care. You’ll also provide hands-on technical assistance to community-based organizations across San Diego County.
You’ll thrive here if you:
This role will begin primarily on the San Diego Behavioral Health CBO TTA Center project, with the potential to support other behavioral health projects over time.
What You'll Do
- Design, develop, and continuously update training curricula and materials focused on evidence-based practices for substance use disorder treatment, co-occurring mental illness, and integrated dual-diagnosis care
- Tailor training content to the needs, capacity levels, service models, and populations served by community-based organizations
- Deliver engaging, competency-based trainings and learning collaborative sessions in multiple formats, including in-person workshops, webinars, asynchronous modules, and communities of practice
- Translate emerging evidence, state guidance, and best practices into practical, accessible training content for behavioral health providers and CBO staff
- Incorporate training feedback, fidelity data, and outcome measures into ongoing curriculum improvement in partnership with the Evaluation & QI Lead
- Provide ongoing, individualized technical assistance to an assigned caseload of community-based organizations across San Diego County
- Coach CBO staff on the practical application of evidence-based practices, clinical workflows, and quality improvement strategies
- Conduct organizational and workforce needs assessments to identify training and TA priorities specific to each organization’s population, staffing, and service model
- Support CBOs in strengthening clinical and organizational capacity to deliver effective, culturally responsive behavioral health services
- Build and maintain trusted, collaborative relationships with CBO leadership and direct service staff to encourage sustained engagement with training and TA offerings
- Stay current on the evidence base and California-specific guidance for SUD and co-occurring disorder treatment, including ASAM Criteria, Medi-Cal/CalAIM requirements, and DHCS guidance
- Support the integration of peer support specialists and community health workers into clinical teams, including role-specific training on scope of practice and supervision models
- Represent the TTA Center at community meetings, coalitions, and provider convenings to promote available trainings and TA resources
- Document training attendance, TA contacts, outcomes, and related activities in required tracking systems for funder reporting
- Contribute to other behavioral health training and TA projects as organizational needs and opportunities evolve
Training & Curriculum Development
Technical Assistance & Capacity Building
Behavioral Health Systems Support
What We're Looking For
- A strong trainer and facilitator who can make complex behavioral health content practical, engaging, and accessible
- Experienced in substance use disorder treatment, co-occurring mental illness, and evidence-based practices
- Comfortable coaching providers and CBO staff through real-world implementation challenges
- Skilled at building credibility and trust with community partners, clinical teams, and organizational leaders
- Responsive, collaborative, and organized in managing multiple relationships, trainings, and deliverables
- Able to adapt communication and facilitation style for varied audiences, roles, literacy levels, and organizational contexts
- Professionally mature, emotionally intelligent, and thoughtful in navigating complex community and behavioral health systems
- Committed to continuous learning, feedback, and contributing to a positive, collegial, high-performing team culture
We’re looking for someone who brings strong behavioral health expertise, excellent facilitation skills, and a relationship-centered approach to training and technical assistance.
The ideal candidate is:
What You'll Bring
- Master’s degree in social work, counseling, public health, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, licensure, and direct experience in SUD/co-occurring disorder treatment
- Minimum of 5 years of direct clinical or programmatic experience in substance use disorder treatment and co-occurring mental illness
- Hands-on experience applying evidence-based practices in behavioral health settings
- Demonstrated experience designing and facilitating trainings, workshops, or learning collaboratives for behavioral health providers or CBO staff
- Working knowledge of California’s Medi-Cal and CalAIM behavioral health delivery systems and how they apply to CBOs providing SUD and mental health services
- Familiarity with California’s peer support specialist certification requirements and community health worker benefit and role structures
- Strong facilitation, coaching, public speaking, relationship-building, and communication skills
- Existing credibility within San Diego’s behavioral health or community-based organization community
- Ability to be based in San Diego County and travel locally to CBO sites
- Flexibility and interest in contributing to other behavioral health training and TA projects as capacity and organizational needs evolve
- Licensure as an LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, or similar, or certification as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor, CADC, or equivalent
- Bilingual or multilingual skills, particularly languages relevant to San Diego’s behavioral health populations
- Prior experience providing technical assistance or capacity-building support to CBOs, FQHCs, or county behavioral health providers
- Experience with instructional design principles and adult learning theory
- Familiarity with the ASAM Criteria and dual-diagnosis treatment models
- Existing relationships with County Behavioral Health Services, Managed Care Plans, 211 San Diego/the Community Information Exchange, or San Diego behavioral health coalitions and provider associations
- Lived experience related to behavioral health, substance use recovery, or the communities served
Preferred qualifications include:
Why Join Our Team?
- Lead meaningful training and technical assistance efforts that strengthen behavioral health systems
- Help community-based organizations build the capacity to deliver effective, culturally responsive care
- Translate evidence-based practices and California behavioral health guidance into practical tools providers can use
- Build trusted relationships with CBOs, providers, and community partners
- Collaborate with a mission-driven team that values integrity, accountability, humility, continuous growth, and excellence
- Contribute to broader behavioral health initiatives as Altarum’s work continues to grow
At Altarum, your work will support community-based organizations that are helping individuals and families access critical behavioral health services across San Diego County.
In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to:
If you’re an experienced behavioral health trainer, coach, and capacity-builder who wants to help strengthen services for underserved communities, we’d love to hear from you.
Where You'll Work
- Remote in San Diego, CA
- If you’re near one of our offices (Arlington, VA; Silver Spring, MD; or Novi, MI), you’ll be Hybrid and will join us in person one day every other month (6 times per year) for a fun, purpose-driven Collaboration Day. These days are filled with creative energy, meaningful connection, and team brainstorming.
- Non-local employees will join these days virtually and may be asked to join us occasionally in-person.
Work Eligibility & Requirements
- Candidates must be currently eligible to work in the United States; sponsorship is not available.
- All work must be performed within the continental U.S. for the duration of employment, unless required by contract.
- Ability to work core hours aligned with Eastern Time, unless otherwise approved by your manager.
- Remote employees must maintain a dedicated, ergonomically appropriate workspace free from distractions, with reliable internet and a mobile device that supports efficient work.
- Travel Requirements: <15%